This invention is directed to a surgical broaching tool or broach and an apparatus for holding a broach during a surgical broaching procedure, and particularly to a broach holding apparatus that can securely but releasably hold broaches of a variety of sizes. The invention also encompasses a method of securely but releasably holding a surgical broach.
Some orthopedic implantation procedures require a step of preparing an opening in a patient's bone for receiving an implant. Hip replacement surgery or arthroplasty, for example, requires the step of producing a longitudinal opening in the patient's femur for receiving a stem portion of a femoral prosthetic implant. The step of producing the opening includes first boring an initial opening and then impacting progressively larger sizes of broaching instruments or broaches into the opening until producing the desired shape for receiving the implant stem. A broach holding tool or instrument is connected to each broach and used to apply the impact required to insert and remove the broach.
Substantial impact to the broach is required to insert the broach into the femoral canal, and then withdraw the broach. The connection between the broach and broach holding tool therefore must be very secure. Yet is desirable that the broach be easily releasable from the broach holder so that a single broach holder can be used with several different broaches of different sizes and shapes. Also, it is desirable to use the fully seated final size broach as a guide for planing the upper surface of the femur and as a trail implant stem for verifying certain aspects of the artificial joint to be produced. The broach holder must be adapted to release from the broach in order to employ the inserted broach as a femur planning guide and trial stem. Finally, the broach holder must reconnect to the inserted broach in order to remove the broach from the femur.